Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan with a focus on voluntary blood donation, blood safety and youth participation in social service.
Bhubaneswar (Economy India): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday launched the month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, calling on young people to devote time to social service and community welfare.
The campaign was launched on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday and began with a major blood donation initiative in Bhubaneswar. Majhi said his government is committed to ensuring “blood safety” and uninterrupted availability of blood for people requiring emergency and medical care.
The Chief Minister participated in a mega blood donation camp organised at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Unit-III, Bhubaneswar, where he highlighted the humanitarian importance of voluntary blood donation.
Majhi Calls Blood Donation a Vital Humanitarian Service
Addressing the gathering, Majhi said blood donation represents one of the most direct ways in which an individual can help save another person’s life.
He noted that despite advances in medical science, there is still no substitute for human blood and it cannot be manufactured in a factory. He described the act of helping save a life through blood donation as an expression of important human values.
The Chief Minister’s message placed blood donation at the centre of the campaign’s opening programme, linking the initiative with the broader objective of encouraging citizens to participate in community service.
Mega Blood Donation Camp Sets 6,500-Unit Target
The blood donation camp held in Bhubaneswar was planned on a large scale, with a target of collecting more than 6,500 units of blood during Thursday’s drive.
The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen the availability of blood in the state and encourage more people, particularly young citizens, to become regular voluntary donors.
The campaign’s emphasis on blood donation also reflects the importance of maintaining adequate supplies for patients undergoing surgeries, accident victims, pregnant women and people who require regular transfusions.
Campaign Begins With Ashoka Sapling Plantation
Before attending the blood donation camp, Majhi planted an Ashoka sapling at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, marking the formal beginning of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
The combination of plantation activity and blood donation at the launch highlighted the campaign’s wider focus on public service and community-oriented initiatives.
The month-long campaign is scheduled to continue from September 17 to October 17, with a range of public outreach and service activities planned across Odisha.
Youth Participation at the Centre of Campaign
Majhi urged young people to dedicate a part of their time to social service and nation-building.
The Chief Minister said meaningful public service can begin with individual contributions at the community level. His appeal focused on encouraging youth participation in activities that directly benefit society rather than limiting the campaign to ceremonial programmes.
The emphasis on youth engagement is significant because several activities planned under the campaign are designed to involve educational institutions, community organisations and grassroots-level participants.
Wider Programme of Seva Sankalp Abhiyan
The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is not limited to blood donation. Preparations announced ahead of the launch indicated that the month-long programme would include a range of outreach, cultural and public-service activities.
These include Seva Jyoti Yatra, NaMo Seva Chronicle, Bharat of Dreams, Stories of Change and Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, along with tree plantation drives and blood donation camps.
The campaign is also intended to take public-service activities and outreach programmes to different parts of the state.
Focus on Strengthening Blood Availability in Odisha
For Odisha’s healthcare system, ensuring adequate blood availability is an important public-health requirement.
Blood is required across hospitals for emergency treatment, trauma care, surgeries and patients suffering from conditions that require repeated transfusions. Unlike many medical supplies, blood depends on voluntary human donation.
Majhi’s emphasis on blood safety therefore places the campaign’s opening event around a practical healthcare need, while the government seeks to encourage sustained voluntary donation.
The state has also announced measures aimed at strengthening blood donation and supply systems. According to a report on the campaign, the Odisha government has allocated ₹50.54 crore in the 2026-27 Budget for the Atal Raktadan Abhiyan, aimed at supporting blood donation-related efforts.
‘Ashirwad Ka Diya’ Also Part of Birthday-Linked Activities
The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan has been accompanied by other programmes linked to Prime Minister Modi’s birthday.
Majhi had earlier appealed to people across Odisha to participate in ‘Ashirwad Ka Diya’ on September 17. The initiative called on people to light lamps at homes, temples and other prominent locations.
The wider programme is being organised alongside activities highlighting Modi’s five decades in public life and 25 years in leadership positions, according to preparations announced by the Odisha BJP.
From One-Day Event to Month-Long Public Outreach
While the campaign’s launch coincided with the Prime Minister’s birthday, its planned duration extends well beyond September 17.
The month-long format provides an opportunity for blood donation, plantation and other community activities to be conducted across the state rather than being concentrated around a single day.
The Odisha BJP had earlier said preparations were being coordinated at the organisational and government levels to take the campaign to beneficiaries and communities across the state.
Majhi’s Message: Service Through Community Participation
The Chief Minister’s launch message centred on the idea that social service can be translated into practical action through initiatives such as blood donation and environmental activities.
The opening blood donation drive gave the campaign a direct public-service dimension, with Majhi using the occasion to encourage young people to contribute their time to activities that can have an immediate impact on others.
With the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan continuing through October 17, the focus will now shift from its launch events to sustained community participation across Odisha.
For the state government, the campaign combines public outreach with service-oriented programmes, while the emphasis on blood donation places healthcare and uninterrupted blood availability among the key themes of its opening phase.
(Economy India)
